Windows 11 wants to know your age, and it plans to find out by looking at your face.
Windows 11 will soon verify your age using a selfie or government ID
Microsoft is preparing to bring age verification directly into Windows 11, requiring users to prove how old they are through their Microsoft account before apps and websites will treat them as adults. The system works through a new Windows Age API that returns age ranges to requesting apps, but unverified ages carry little weight. To earn a verified status, users must submit to one of three options: logging into a government account system, uploading a document such as a driver’s license, or taking a selfie that estimates age from facial analysis. The feature is currently available to users in Australia, Brazil, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, with broader rollout expected as laws in California, Colorado, and Illinois begin taking effect, with California’s requirement kicking in for most operating systems by 2027.
The stakes are higher than they might first appear. A verified age tied to a Microsoft account would follow a user across every device they sign in to, which raises immediate questions about what happens to people who prefer local accounts. Apps and the operating system itself could default to treating unverified users as minors, effectively pressuring people into linking biometric or government identity data to their Windows login. Congress is also weighing national legislation that could extend these requirements well beyond the three states that have already acted. How Microsoft handles the line between its account ecosystem and legal compliance with these emerging laws will define a significant part of the Windows 11 experience in the years ahead.
